Underlining that he can't express the pain that "we are suffering" over the deaths in a crowd crush outside a Bengaluru stadium as tens of thousands turned up to cheer Royal Challengers Bengaluru's title win in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar told NDTV that "we are very sorry".
Eleven people died in the stampede as the celebratory event turned funereal.
"Can't express the pain that I am suffering. Never expected this to happen. Entire state was watching. We are very sorry," said Mr Shivakumar, adding that he does not want to politicise the issue.
Thousands had packed the streets Wednesday to welcome home their hero Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after they had beaten Punjab Kings a day earlier in a thrilling Indian Premier League final.